Pipe coating apparatus



April 10, 1945. y A. G. PERKINS PIPE COATING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l F m/Qww,

April 10, 1945. A. G. PERKINS v PIPE COATING APPARATUS Filed May 6, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Y O'OIOOO (\F y Ewwnov' M Wwf, @gm W gli? Patented Apr. l0, 1945 I 2,313,638 PIPE coA'rlNG APPARATUS Albert G'. Perkins, Warsaw, N. Y., assigner to Centriline Corporation, Ampere, N. J., a corporation o! Delaware Application May s. 1942, serial No. 441,926 claims. (C1. 25-38) This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in pipe coating apparatus of the type designed for applying a protecting coating or lining to steel pipes, conduits and the like.

It has for one of its objects to provide an apparatus of this character which is so designed as to simultaneously apply a protective coating to.l

both the interior and exterior surfaces of the pipe in an eillcient and economical manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple and effective means for delivering the coating material to the pipe walls and for so supporting the pipe and the coating-delivery means as to effect relative axial and rotative movements of such. parts during the application of the coating material thereto.

A further object is to provide-a pipe coating my improved pipe coating apparatus. Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal section of the internal applicator unit thereof. Figure 3 is a sectional end view of the apparatus, showing the external applicator unit. Figure 4 is a similar view of a slightly modified form of such applicator unit which is used independently to coat the outer surface of the pipe. Figure 5 is a modifled form of the apparatus for coating the outer surface of the pipe. Figure 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, longitudinal section of the applicator unit thereof. Figure 7 is a top plan view of the discharge end ofthe external applicator units shown in. Figures 3 and 4. Figure 8 is a detail section of one of the 4blade elements of the brushlike applicator. Figure 9 is a fragmentary side view of one of the pipe-clamping heads.

. Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

While ,my apparatus may be employed for coating steel or other kinds of pipe, conduits and the like of different sizes before installation in the l means for rotatably supporting thepipe or the like to be coated, dispensing means arranged interiorly. and exteriorly of the pipe for applying the coating material to the inner and outer walls thereof, and means whereby the pipe and the dispensing means are relatively movable in a direc` tion axiallyr of the pipe during the coating operation from end tov end of such pipe. In connection with the dispensing means for coating the outer surface of the pipe, which may be used independently, if desired, a novel and eicient brush-like applicator is employed in coniunction with a troweling unit, and wherein the latter Aalso functions to govern the speed of relative axial movement between the pipe and the dispensing means,for the ow of the coating material from the latter.

Referring now to the drawings, I0 indicates a section of steel pipe which is supported in any suitable manner for rotative movement about the axis thereof and which may further be so supported as to be held against endwise or longitudinal movement relative to the dispensing means, which may in such case move in a direction parallel to the pipe, or which may be supported to move in an axial or longitudinal direction relative to the dispensing means which in such case would remain stationary,

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 1 3, inclusive, the pipe is supported for both rotative and longitudinal movement while the internal and external dispensing units, indicated generally by the numerals Il and i2, respectively, are relatively fixed. The internal dispensing unit may be substantially like that disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,168,917, for example-and referring to Figures 1 and 2, I3 indicates a frame on which is mounted a feed hopper I4 for receiving the coating material and from the lower end of which projects a horizontally-disposed feed member or conduit i6 of a length somewhat longer than the pipe to be treated and about the axis of which the pipe is removably supended in spaced concentric relation for rotative and longitudinal movement. Extending through this conduit andpart way into the hopper is a screwconveyor I6 or like element for propelling the coatingmaterial from the hopper to the front or discharge end il of the conduit which is provided with revolving head or applicator I8- for delivering the material 'by centrifugal force onto the pipe wall. This applicator may be driven at a comparatively high speed by an electric motor I9 suitably supported at the front end of the conduit. A trowel 20 associated with the applicator serves to ysmooth down the material as it is applied to the pipe wall. Motion is transmitted to the conveyor screw by an electric motor 2I housed in the frame I3 and connected to the screw by interposed gearing 22.

The pipe I is supported for rotative and longitudinal movement about the feed conduit I5 by suspension members or belts 23' passing at their upper ends around and in operative engagement with the spiral grooves 24 of a rotating shaft 25 journaled at its ends in suitable standards 26. The lower ends of these belts engage pulley-like members 21 applied to rings or heads 28 detachably clamped to the opposite ends of the pipe to be coated. If desired, and to prevent any swaying of the suspended pipe, stabilizing wheels 29 may be provided for bearing engagement with the straight stretches of the belt. Motion may be transmitted to the shaft 25 from the conveyor screw operating motor 2I through the medium of sprocket and chain drives 30 and a speed-reducing unit 3|. When motion is transmitted to the shaft 25, the belts 23 cause the pipe to be turned slowly about its axis, while the spiral grooves 24 cause a longitudinal movement tobe transmitted to the belts to in turn move the pipe in a direction parallel to the axis of the feed conduit I5.

The external dispensing unit I2 for applying a protective coating to the outer surface of the pipe I0 may be disposed in a stationary position at one side of the applicator end of the feed conduit I5 and consists of a frame 32 which includes a hopper 33 for the coating material, the hopper opening at its lower end into the companion end of a feed conduit 34 which extends generally upwardly and terminates at its upper end in a discharge 35 surrounded by a substantially fiat distributing face 36 which is disposed substantially radially of the pipe being treated. Extending through this conduit is a conveyor screw 31 driven by an electric motor 33 and interposed gearing 39 i'or propelling the coating material from the bottom of the hopper to the discharge mouth of the conduit. For the purpose of distributing the coating material as it is delivered through the discharge 35 and directing it onto the outer surface of the pipe, I provide a revolving element which is preferably in the form of a brush-like member 40 mounted on a horizontal shaft 4I disposed in parallel relation to the pipe-axis and driven at a comparatively high speed by an electric motor 42. The blade elements of this brush are preferably made of rubber which may be re' inforced with a metallic core, as shown in Figure 8. Disposed about this brush is a hood 43 which encloses the entire circumference thereof with the exception of a portion at the lower side thereof facing the pipe I0 t0 provide an opening 44 for the passage of the material onto the pipe wall. With this construction, as the pipe is rotated and moved longitudinally in the manner heretofore described, the brush-like member 40 revolves in tangential contact overv the distributing face 36 and projects and effectually compacts the material as it is discharged from the conduit 34 against the pipe wall.

In Figure 4, I have shown, independently of any internal dispensing unit, the external applicator unit I2 mounted for movement longitudinally of the pipe to be treated and to this end the frame 32 thereof is supported on wheels 45 engaging tracks 46, motion being transmitted to this unit by an electric motor 41 and driven gearing 48. The speed of the motor to in turn regulate the speed of travel of the unit along the pipe is controlled by a rheostat 49 having an actuating arm' 50. In using this movable dispensing unit, the pipe may be supported in the manper shown in Figures 1 and 3, but instead of the spiral grooves 24, the shaft would have a set of annular grooves therein in which the upper ends of the suspension belts 23 would engage.

Disposed for contact with the outer surface of the pipe being coated is a roller 5I mounted on a vertically-swinging lever 52 pivoted to the frame 32 and normally urged toward the pipe wall by a comparatively stiff spring 53. This roller is free to move back and forth as it foilows the contour of the pipe wall and in so doing guides a trowel or thickness-regulating element 54, disposed alongside it, over the coating matcrial as it is applied, to the pipe. This element is pivoted to the roller-bearing lever 52 to rcel; independently thereof in response to the thickness of the coating material applied and to move bodily therewith in accordance with the contour oi the pipe wall. The movement of this trowel or thickness-regulating element relative to the pipe, as determined by the thickness of the coating material applied thereto, isutilized to control the speed of travel of the dispensing unit relative to the pipe, or, if desired, the rate of iiow of the material through the conduit 34 by regulating the speed of the feed screw 3l, so that a uniform thickness of the coating is obtained from end to end of the pipe. For this purpose, the troweibearing lever 55 is connected by a cable 56 to the rheostat arm 50, such cable being guided in a relatively displaceable flexible tube "oil secured to the frame and lever 52. By this construction. as the trowel is moved in a direction away from the bare surface of the pipe in accordance with the amount of coating material applied thereto, it gradually shifts the rheostat arm 5@ in a direction to increase the speed of the motor Il? and correspondingly the travel of the dispensing unit and thereby prevent an overage supply of the mortar being applied to a given area of the pipe. In other words, the material is distributed in uniform amounts over the entire length of the pipe as determined by the thickness of the material applied and the relative longitudinal speed of travel betweenthe pipe and the applicator unit. In like manner, the rate of flow of the material through the feed conduit 34 can be regulated by connecting a rheostat to the feed screw operating motor 38 and joining the actuating arm thereof to alike cable 56.

In the embodiment of the invention depicted in Figures 5 and 6, disclosing more particularly a portable external applicator unit, the pipe iii is detachably supported against endwise movement on rotatable heads 58 applied to a carriage 59 which may be readily shifted to a point where it is desired to perform the pipe coating operation. One of these pipe-supporting heads is ad- `instable toward and from the companion head to releasably clamp different lengths of pipe and in this connection such adjustable head is mounted on a vertically-swinging post 60 pivoted at its lower end to an adjustable slide block 6i adapted for actuation by a screw 62 to one or another of a plurality of positions. A foldable brace 63 supports the post in an upright pipe-engaging position, and upon disconnecting this brace the companion head is disengaged from the pipe to permit its removal from the carriage. Suitable motors 64 and '65, together with transmission means, are provided'for propelling the carriage and rotating the pipe, respectively.

The external dispensing unit shown in connecdisposed in cooperativerelationl to a pipe to be` coated for delivering the material tothe interior and exterior walls thereof, pipe-rotating means for detachably supporting the pipe to be coated -and means for effecting a relative longitudinal t' in axial relation to one of the applicator heads.

displacement between the rotating pipe and said applicator heads whereby Ato coat the pipe from end to end thereof. f

5. An apparatus for simultaneously coating the interior and 'exterior walls of pipes and the duit, receives the coating material therefrom and discharges it by centrifugal force through jet tubes 12 or the like onto the pipe wall. f

For the purpose of facilitatingthe handling of the pipe when presenting it to and removing it from the coating apparatus, wheeled trucks or the like may be used having pipe-engaging supports which terminate at their upper ends in substantially v-shaped seats 13, as shown in Figure 9, and the pipe-clamping heads 2B are provided with annular like-shaped anges 14 which engage such seats and support the pipe when being transported before and after receiving the coating treatment.

In coating the outer surface of pipes, it is preferable to use two of the exterior pipe coating units disposed at diametrically opposite Vsides of 'the pipe. 1

I claim as my invention:

'1. An apparatus for coating the walls of pipes and the like, comprising means for rotatively supporting the pipe to be coated, means extending into and disposed substantially axially of the pipe for conducting the coating material to and for directing it eentrifugally against the inner wall of the pipe, means disposed at one side of the pipe for directing the coating material against the exterior wall thereof, and means for effecting a relative axial and rotative movement between the pipe and said internal and external pipe coating means during the application of the coating material thereto.

2. Ari apparatus for simultaneously coating the interior and exterior walls of pipes and the like, comprising rapidly-rotatable applicator heads disposed in cooperative relation toa pipe to be coated for delivering the material to the interior and exterior walls thereof, and rotatable means for detachably supporting and rotating the pipe to be coated, and means for causing a relative axial movement between said applicator heads and the pipe. e 1

3. An apparatus for simultaneously coating the interior and exterior walls of pipes and the like, comprising rapidly-rotatable applicator heads disposed in cooperative relation to a pipe to be coated for delivering the material to the interior and exterior walls thereof, each of said heads including a feed conduit, and piperotating means for detachably supporting the pipe to be coated, in concentric relation to one of the feed conduits, the head of the latter including means radiating therefrom for directing the material by centrifugal force onto the interior of the pipe-wall, and the other of said applicator heads being disposed at one side of the pipe and including means for directing the coating material centrifugally against the exterior of the pipe wall, and means for causing a relative axial movement between said applicatork heads and the pipe.

4. An apparatus for simultaneously coating the interior and exterior walls of pipes and the like, comprising rapidly-rotatable applicator heads like, comprising rapidly-rotatable applicator heads disposed in cooperative relation to a pipe to be coated and including feed conduits for delivering the material to the interior and exterior walls thereof, and slowly-rotatable means for detachably suspending the pipe to be coated in axial relation to one of the feed conduits and in operative relation to the other applicator head and for simultaneously rotating the pipe and moving it longitudinally relatively to said heads.

6. An apparatus for simultaneously coating the interior and exterior walls of pipes and the like,

, the combination with rotatable applicator heads disposed in cooperative relation toa pipe to be coated for delivering the material to theinterior and exterior walls thereof, feed conduits for said heads of rotatable means for detachably suspending the pipe to be coated in concentric spaced relation to one of the feed conduits, and means operatively connected to said pipe-suspension means for transmitting rotatable and longitudinal movement thereto.

'7. An apparatus for simultaneously coating the Ainterior and exterior walls of pipes and the like,

the combination with rapidlyl revolving applicator heads disposed in cooperative relation to a pipe to be coated for delivering the material to the interior and exterior walls thereof, and of rotatable means for detachably suspending the pipe to be coated in concentric relation to one of said heads including perpherally-grooved pipeclamping heads,A a revolving, spirally-grooved. shaft disposed over said heads in parallel relation to the axis'thereof, and exible suspension members in operative driving engagement .with said shaft and said clamping heads.

8. An apparatus of the characterdescribed, comprising means for detachably supporting and rotating at a slow speed a pipe to be coated, an applicator unit disposed at the side of the pipe for delivering a coating material to the exterior wall thereof,` said unit including a feed conduit adapted for communication at one end with a source of coating material and provided at its other end with an upwardly-opening discharge port, means in said conduit for 'forcing the coating material through its discharge port, and a rapidly revolving brush-like member disposed in operative relation over the top of the conduitdischarge port with its terminal ends adapted for wiping contact with the surrounding face of l said port for directing the material by centrifugalforce onto the pipe wall, and means for vcausing a relative longitudinal movement be-A vof, said unit including a feed conduit adapted for communication at one end with a source of coating material and terminating at its other end in a substantially flat face disposed in a plane substantially radially of the pipe and having an upwardly-opening port therein through which the material is discharged, and a rapidly-revolving brush-like member disposed in operative relation over the ported end of the conduit with its terminal ends in wiping contact with said ilat face for directing the material, as it is discharged from the conduit. by centrifugal force onto the pipe wall, and means for causing a relative longitudinal movement between the pipe and applicator unit.

10. An apparatus of the character described, comprising pipe-supporting and pipe-coating umts disposed in adjoining lateral relation, means for causing a relative longitudinal movement between such units in a plane parallel to that of the axis of the pipe supported for treatment, said pipe-coating unit including an upwardlyopening discharge port for the coating material and a rapidly-rotatable brush-like element disposed in operative relation over said discharge port for directing the pipe-coating material in centrifugal fashion onto the exterior of the pipe wall during its rotation, and a trowel mounted on said pipe-coating unit for smoothing down the material after it is applied to the pipe wall.

11. An apparatus of the character described, comprising rotatable means for detachably supporting a pipe to be externally coated, a pipecoating unit disposed in lateral relation to said pipe-supporting means and movable relative thereto from end to end of the pipe during the coating thereof, means applied to said unit for directing the pipe-coating material onto the exterior of the pipe wall, means including a speed control device for transmitting motion to said unit lengthwise of the pipe, a thickness regulator for the coating material mounted on the pipecoating unit for movement toward and from the pipe wall, and means operatively connecting said regulator with the said speed control device for regulating the same to govern the speed of the motion-transmitting means of the pipe-coating unit as determined by the thickness of material applied to the pipe wall.

12. An apparatus for exteriorly coating pipes and the like, comprising a feed conduit for a substantially plastic coating material having an upwardly-opening discharge, a substantially iiat distributing face disposed across the mouth of said discharge, and a revolving applicator disposed tangentially over said distributing face for directing the material, as it is discharged from said conduit, onto the exterior surface of the pipe, said applicator consisting of a brush-like member having radially-disposed, material-intercepting blades of rubber adapted for wiping contact at their peripheral edges across said distributing face, said blades being deflected rearwardly when in wiping contact and then being smartly distended forwardly upon leaving said face to forcibly direct the interrupted material against the pipe-wall.

13. An apparatus of the character described, comprising relatively rotatable pipe-supporting and pipe-coating units disposed in adjoining lateral relation, means for causing a relative longitudinal movement between such units in a plane parallel to that of the axis of the pipe supported for treatment, said pipe-coating unit including an applicator for directing the pipe-coating material onto the exterior wall of the pipe during its rotation, and said pipe-supporting means including rotatable suspension belts for transmitting rotary motion to the pipe.

14. An apparatus of the character described, comprising relative rotatable pipe-supporting and pipe-coating units disposed in adjoining lateral relation, means for causing a relative longitudinal movement between such units in a plane parallel to that of the axis of the pipe supported for treatment. said pipe-coating unit including an applicator for directing the pipe-coating material onto the exterior wall of the pipe during its rotation, and said pipe-supporting means including heads adapted for detachably clamping engagement with the ends of the pipe to be coated, an overhead drive member, and suspension belts connecting said drive member with said clamping heads.

15. In combination with an internal pipe coating apparatus and an external pipe coating apparatus, of means for supporting the pipe in correlation with and for simultaneous interior and exterior coating by such respective apparatuses, comprising an overhead rotatable shaft having spiral grooves therein, coupling heads adapted for detachable connection to the opposite ends of the pipe being coated and having pulley-like members thereon, and suspension members engaging said spiral shaft-grooves at one end and said pulley-like members at their opposite ends whereby to simultaneously impart rotary and axial movement to the pipe.

ALBERT G. PERKINS. 

